Classic Game Review: Expedition Amazon

Ohio Smith writhed and twisted like the serpent itself as he tried to escape the near-fatal embrace of the anaconda. Dr. Spock quickly opened the medical kit and prepared to give him aid, if he could wriggle out of the reptile's clutches. At last, the anaconda recoiled, leaving a weakened and frustrated Ohio Smith behind. Lt. Uherda cancelled her futile attempt to radio a helicopter and Rocky (Malibu) was unable to bash the snake with the uprooted tree in his hand. The expedition moved on and stumbled into a native camp.

Rocky Malibu threw a grenade which killed five of them. Ohio Smith opened up with his automatic rifle and dropped ten of them. Dr. Spock insisted that the bad-tempered natives were simply the result of poor toilet training and Lt. Uherda vainly tried to reach civilization over the static of the old fashioned radio. The above was an attempt to characterize the good-natured humour of Expedition Amazon (EA). EA uses similar mechanics to Sword of Far goal in that you explore the screen one step at a time. A major difference is that while Far goal randomly establishes the dungeon levels, Amazon uses the same ten screens, both above and below ground.

Each sector of Amazon is explored a square meter at a time by pressing keys that reflect the four major compass directions. In this way, the map is filled in one block at a time. Further, the process of mapping the sector as one explores reminds me of Seven Cities of Gold (Electronic Arts). There are, however, some major differences from the latter. In EA, there is no animation involved in attacks until one actually enters the Lost City of Ka, the elusive final goal of the game. Whereas Seven Cities has animation throughout the game. In EA, there are not randomly generated sectors to explore (whereas SCG has the possibility of creating entire new worlds). Still, the feeling of exploration is there. Further, don't get the idea that it's easy to explore the ten screens. The frustration factor in my first few expeditions was at least as great as during my first few tries at Far goal. There are some nasty little random encounters that can ruin an entire hour's worth of adventuring. For example, how are you going to explore the Amazon River after the wily natives steal your boat?

What happens when you are just about finished exploring a section of the river and your boat hits a rock and sinks? Further, what if you should happen to fall into a trap which takes you underground, loosing you your hard earned sector map and forcing you start over? I know, as it happened to me on at least three occasions before I wised up and started making detailed notes on my own paper (I defy that nasty program to steal those!) One of the most satisfying features of this adventure game was that by having four player characters, I could have a group over and play the game together.

We had great fun laughing at each other's misfortunes; harassing one another for inept shooting; and generally suggesting mutiny toward whoever happened to be piloting the boat or leading the expedition. We would name at least one of the characters for someone we didn't like and would absolutely refuse to give medical aid to them, regardless of what happened to them. This is cruel and holds the group back some, since that means that one of your parties is almost always going to be a first level character. It doesn't really matter that much, however, since all you have to do is return to Flint University (the mobile home in the midst of the Texas armadillo ranch where all the fun begins) in order to get a replacement.

This game is full of some sparkling graphics and gags. The opening illustration of Flint University with its hit and run havoc should appeal to the "brutal" funny bone of many of us civilized savages and sly Pedro the Trader in Iquitos, Peru has a pun fully complete file of vile jokes and comments that can really bring out the groans from a group ("Joan of Arc didn't quit, she was fired!" "Hitler's mother didn't realize she was raising such a fuehrer."). These features are only good for two or three times, but they sure are fun to spring on new gamers.

My biggest problem with the game involves its rather poor documentation. One is not informed, for example, that the pistols which are supplied all the expedition members do not have any ammunition. Bullets must be bought at the trading post in order not to have useless guns. I realize that this is largely common sense, but I have seen novice gamers stumble over less.

The documentation suggests that the map sector can become a permanent part of the team's map portfolio before the entire number of square meters in a sector is explored. It doesn't make clear that one must explore every square meter except the traps in order to keep the map. Before the player discovers this, the player can lose numerous maps. In spite of these minor difficulties, EA is a very enjoyable game that doesn't take itself too seriously. For me, it's much more satisfying to adventure in this manner than to deal with a limited parser in a text only game. It is especially interesting to play with a group of three or four friends.

The River Between Book Review

The River Between, tells the story about the separation of two villages of Kenya who were neighbors but differences in faith separated them. The bitterness between them caused much hatred between the adults of each side. The story tells about the struggle of a young leader to unite the two villages of Kameno and Makuyu through sacrifice and pain.

In the story a boy, Waiyaki, the son of Chege, was to be a great leader in the village of Kameno. Chege sent Waiyaki to Siriana, where the white men stayed, to gain knowledge of the white men's advancements to help his village. Waiyaki dreamt of the day where he would be born again to be a man; "All his life Waiyaki had waited for this day, for this very opportunity to reveal his courage like a man" (p. 45). He was to be circumcised to be initiated to be a man and gain respect from everyone in his village.

Circumcision of both the men and women was the way of all tribes that had not embraced Christianity or the British educational system. To monotheistic followers it was an abhorrent practice; they were strongly against the female circumcision or female genital mutilation depending on how non-tribal, traditional followers viewed it.

In Kameno the inhabitants there are followers of the traditional tribal belief of polytheism. In Kameno, the inhabitants praised and respected all who went through the pain and got circumcised. The Kameno people did not want to accept the new faith and they strongly resisted the white men's way of life. In Waiyaki's earlier years his father lectured him to work hard for the community and do all he can to help keep the traditional way of life.

Unlike the traditional polytheistic followers of Kameno, the people of village of Makuyu were the followers of Christianity. Their leader Joshua, embraced the religion of Christianity after the white men settled in Kenya. In Siriana, there was the knowledge of white men; schools teaching the ways of white men flourished and hospitals helped the ill get better. Joshua was a strict Christian and he was strongly against circumcision and drinking. Joshua and his wife were circumcised before they became Christians, but Joshua repents hard for begin circumcised for it was a sin in his faith; "In fact Joshua believed circumcision to be sinful that he devoted prayer to asking God to forgive him for marrying a woman who had been circumcised" (p. 31). Circumcision was the main factor that separated the villages. The followers of Joshua were strongly against it.

Joshua's daughter, Muthoni, was an ambitious girl. She wanted to be a woman in the tribal way even though she was a Christian. Muthoni went against her father and went to the circumcision rituals. When Muthoni came to the ceremony it surprised Waiyaki, knowing that Muthoni was Christian and she is of the new cult. Muthoni got circumcised; however, she did not heal well after the circumcision. She was taken to the nearest missionary hospital and soon died after. Rumors spread quickly saying that it was her father's curse that caused her death because a girl dying from circumcision was rare. Muthoni's death reached her family. Muthoni's mother and sister, Nyambura, cried and strongly felt the pain of loosing a family member; however, Muthoni's father disowned Muthoni for getting circumcised and refused to feel anything for his deceased daughter. Livingstone, the head missionary from Siriana, knew of the tribal warfare from past missionaries so, he did not force Christianity to the villagers instead he wanted the faith to slowly blend in the land to avoid conflict with the natives. Livingstone trusted Joshua greatly but it shocked him when he got the word that it was Joshua's daughter that died from circumcision. He was appalled that his own student's progeny went thorough this forbidden practice of Christianity.

Waiyaki grew to be a noble person after his father. He became the headmaster of a school he established called Marioshoni. As time passes he established more schools in Kameno and taught the knowledge, the "magic" of the white men. He strongly pushed everyone to understand that only through education that his people can be stronger than before. He also had strong and intimate relationship with Joshua's other beautiful daughter Nyambura. Even though he loved her Waiyaki could not marry Nyambura due to their differences in faith and that caused him a great deal of pain. Nyambura loved Waiyaki too, but she didn't want to go against her father like her sister did; "Can't you see we cannot marry?....Father will not allow it. I cannot disobey him." (p. 107). Waiyaki struggled hard to unite the two ridges and went through many convictions especially from his own sides because of his education from Sirana. Waiyaki and Nyambura ware tested when Waiyaki went to Nyambura's father's house to save her. Nyambura admitted in front of everyone that she truly does love Waiyaki. After her daring confession of her love for Waiyaki, Nyambura was told to leave the house by her father. Joshua disowned her for betraying him, for loving a pagan. As they were out of the house Waiyaki told Nyambura to go back to her father's house, but she refused and she stayed with him.

In Kameno there was a big gathering; people wanted to see if the rumors were true, they wanted to see if Waiyaki broke the oath, the oath to protect the purity and the traditions of the tribe. Kabonyi, a person from Kameno, who was always jealous of Waiyaki's prominence, made Waiyaki stand trial before the Kameno people. Waiyaki and Nyambura's love was yet tested again in front of a massive crowd. Waiyaki had so much respect from his people and there, in the gathering, he admitted his love for Joshua's daughter and this shocked everyone. It was depicted as if Waiyaki broke the oath to keep the tribe pure from outsiders and their ideas. However, Waiyaki generalized that the oath never went against loving someone.

The story depicts the struggle between the followers of the monotheist faith and the polytheist faith. The pain and bitterness between these two people of the same origin causes more separation day by day. The story shows that religion can cause great ominous feelings between similar people of different faiths. The title of the story "the river between" is well thought out giving the theme of dividing two ways of life, the traditional, tribal way of life and the new introduced, Christian way of life; both struggling against each other.

In a way I can connect to the story in which my country, which was once East Pakistan, separated from West Pakistan due to exploitation, language differences, and genocide. Even though we were one country and with one religion there were still bitterness between us due to the difference of languages we spoke and our ways of life. There is still hatred and bitterness between us due to what happened and there are few that have forgiven and forgotten the pain and crimes of the past.

The River Between

By Ngugi Wa Thiong Cox & Wyman Ltd. 1965

152 pages.

Review: Peace I leave to you to ask Oh River

Author: Lyda Phillips

ISBN: 0595361722

To effectively with difficult topics related to a teenage audience, such as suicide, brother grief, guilt, anger, rejection, abnormal behavior, denial, and bullying is not an easy task and we want to deduct a certain amount of audacity and courage of the author. This is exactly what is done with Lyda Phillips got his latest novel, Peace I ask Thee O River, and that they have fulfilledadmirable.

Phillips tells the story of a typical American 18-year-old Eleanor, or as they prefer to be called El, which meets as a counselor at a school for girls summer camp in North Carolina with a troubled teenager, Tiffin Ramsey. Tiffin is the nephew of former Senator Joe Ramsey, huge racial segregation in 1950 and is also the governor's daughter Cameron Ramsey who has presidential ambitions.

For six weeks during the summer months, the RamseyCampaigns and are not very keen Tiffin way with them. Therefore, they decided to Tiffin at Camp Nichia, where they feel would benefit from the experience of the field to join. They gave specific instructions that have no special treatment and that fewer campers know her better. You also have the supervisor of the camp that Tiffin has provided some minor behavioral problems.

This novel is a compelling and well writtenin which the author reveals a sense of place in the recording posted when the atmosphere "clickish" cruel and sometimes shows a girl's camp and the mistreatment of some of the campers from their colleagues' passions pressure cooker, Girls in Love the other to hate each other torture, so that up to pray legends, traditions, after crushing, and plays favorites. "

It 's a story of painful emotions, with an experience of 18 years, is forced by anotherdisturbed teenager who finally becomes a profound and lasting effect on his psyche. Think about your own behavior, wondering if they have to pity or protectiveness El?

Without doubt, this novel raise some very interesting questions. As you walk around with a family tragedy and you want to share tips and help, especially if you're only eighteen years old and inexperienced?